Berry-crate



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE I. FEIT, OF PHILLIPSBURG, NEW JERSEY.

BERRY-C RATE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 620,024, dated February 21, 1899. Application led October 3, 1898. Serial No. 692,463. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.:

Be it known that I, GEORGE I. FEIT, of Phillipsburg, in the county of Warren and State of New Jersey, have invented a new and Improved Berry-Crate, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

My invention relates to an improvement in berry-crates, and has for its object to improve the ventilation above the berries and to protect them against scalding when exposed to the sun and during shipment to market.

My invention comprises the novel features hereinafter described and claimed.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in both views.

Figure 1 is a sectional side elevation, on the line 1 1 in Fig. 2 and partly broken away, of a berry-crate embodying my invention; and Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional elevation of the upper part of the berry-crate on the line 2 2 in Fig. 1.

The crate proper, A, may be constructed in any suitable manner. The cover B is, however, provided with a series of cross-bars D, which are preferably arranged so as to lie immediately over the edges of the small berry boxes or baskets F, which are placed within the crate, and thus serve to hold the baskets securely in place, as is clearly indicated in Fig. 1. The cross-bars extend to the outer edge of the cover or so as to lie upon the upper side edges of the crate, thus forming ventilating-openings G, by which air is admitted to the upper layer of baskets. As herein shown, the ends of the cross-bars D are notched at d, so that the central portion of the cross-bar is deeper than the ends, and the upper edges of the baskets F are held a slight distance below the upper level of the crate. This notching of the cross-bars D serves also to secure the cover against any side movement upon the crate.

Upon the inner side of the cover B is placed a layer C of some material which is a good non-conductor of heat, as asbestos. It very often happens in shipping berries that the crates will stand exposed to the sun for several hours. In such cases with the ordinary crate the cover of the crate will become so heated that the upper layer of berries in the upper baskets will become overheated orscalded, thus deteriorating the berries. With a layer of insulating material, as shown, this result will not occur. The heat will be prevented from passing through the cover and seriously affecting the berries. This layer of insulating material is preferably placed beneath the cross-bars D, although this is not an essential feature. The wire E, which partially closes the Ventilating-opening G, is secured in place by means of staples e or in any other suitable manner. This form of cover B for a berry-crate will result in the berries reaching the market in better condition than when the ordinary crate is used and the berries have been exposed to the direct action of the sun. It is also superior to the ordinary crate by reason of the ventilating-openings, which will prevent the berries from scalding during shipment to market.

The purpose of the wire E, extending along the space G, is to prevent the escape of small berries, which would escape were the wire not provided.

Having thus described my invention, I

claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent- 1. A berry-crate having a cover provided with a non-conducting inner lining, crossbars engaging the upper edges of the crate and forming Ventilating-openings above the berries, and a wire secured to the ends of the cross-bars and extending across said ventilating-openings.

2. A crate, having a cover, a series of cross-bars secured to the under face of the cover and having notches in their ends to receive the upper edges of the crate, whereby to holdthe cover in place, the cross-bars serving to hold the cover raised above the crate to permit ventilation between the cover and crate, and Wires attached to the ends of the cross-bars and running along the sides of the cover, to prevent the escape of the material within the crate.

GEORGE I. FEIT.

Witnesses:

GEORGE B. AMBLER, A. S. DEICHMAN. 

